


Arrow Family Alphabet

by Justa14writer



Category: DC Animated Universe, DCU, DCU (Comics), Green Arrow (Comics), Green Arrow - All Media Types, Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons), Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: A-Z, A-Z Stories, Alphabet, Coffee, F/M, Family, Fireworks, Flashbacks, Other, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, energy drinks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-23
Updated: 2016-05-23
Packaged: 2018-06-10 06:13:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6943087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Justa14writer/pseuds/Justa14writer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Being a part of the Arrow Family is as easy as A, B, C!!</p><p>Except... maybe it's not?</p><p>(Alphabet prompts for our Arrow Family!)</p><p>(Also, I know Artemis isn't technically part of the family but...who cares?!)</p><p>(I'll update as I go along)</p><p>----</p><p>Latest:</p><p>F is for Fireworks</p><p>An annual bbq doesn't go as planned for Dinah Lance</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A

A is for Arrow.

 

A is for Arrow. Cliche I know. But its true. 

Oliver remembers learning to shoot arrows made of sticks and leaves in order to survive. 

Roy remembers Brave Bow teaching his small hands how to curl around the arrows made of wood and swirling with intricate designs over and over again until he could- and can- do it in his sleep.

Mia remembers the difficulty of grasping all the things she needed to remember and which arrows were which and how to draw quickly enough to survive. She remembers crying in her room afraid that because she couldn't use the arrows properly she wouldn't be aloud into the family. She remembers Oliver helping her. With both learning to not be afraid and how to draw her arrows properly.

Connor remembers learning how to shoot for his father. He remembers trying to impress him. He remembers arrows as a right of passage into the family. A tool. A weapon. He remembers Roy taking him out in a strange and rare burst of brotherly affection and showing him arrows as fun. A game. He remembers asking. 'Aren't arrows weapons? Not...toys?' But he remembers most, 'Why can't they be both?'.

Artemis remembers her father yelling 'Again!' and her hurring to draw. To grap the thin cylinder behind her and bringing it forward to release. 'Again'! Reach. Draw. Release. 'Again'! Reach. Draw. Release. Again and again until her arm ached and her fingers bled. And she couldn't ever hit it just right. It was always- Always!- off. Years later and she remembers Mia grabing her shaking hands, and for the first time ever she heard, 'Wait.' A deep breath later, and she hit perfect.

None of them learned shooting for fun. It was survival, necessary, a right of passage, a tool and a way of life and nothing more.

But together, even when torn apart, they learned,

Arrows can be so much more.


	2. B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> B is for Bow

B is for Bow:

Again, cliche I know.

But what are arrows without bows?

There are lots of types of bows.

There are lots of parts of bows too. 

On the island, Oliver used flimsy wood with string from the yacht. It was made into a long bow.

In the city its a compound bow with hard and taunt bow strings. 

The others don't know, but sometimes. When he's alone and nervous. He goes outside and makes flimsy bows out the trees outside with twine and string not meant for bows. 

Maybe its to never forget how to use them. Maybe theres something calming about the breakableness yet deadlyness of something so simple. Maybe its many things.

All he knows is that when he threw Roy out, almost thirty bows were made.

...

Roy also had learned a long bow. But his was better made. With the right strings and the proper length for him and with good wood. 

He uses them sometimes. But mostly he uses it for fun. And a compound for hero duties. 

He likes how long bows bend slightly when he draws back. 

Makes him feel in control.

...

Connor learned with a compound bow right off the bat. 

He remembers trying a long bow and the cable snapped his arm giving his arm a dark and painful lump. 

Connor likes the feel of the cables and the pully system bending to his will.

He knows that long bows make Roy feel in charge, but compound will always be enough for Connor.

...

Mia remembers trying to grip the awkward shaped bow. She tried a long bow and a recurve, and then lastly a compound bow. It was awkward and odd and she couldn't get comfortable. 

She used to much power for the long and recurve. And she couldn't get enough power behind the draw of a compound.

Oliver frowned from a distance before walking towards her.

She had sucked in a breath, this was it, she thought. She was going to be replaced by someone who could hold a bow without failing.

"Try this."

"What?"

"Try. This." He handed her another bow. "With your other hand."

She switched. This time it hit in her hand easily, her fingers curling around the shape easier.

Oliver had smiled, "Turns out, you're a lefty."

...

Artemis remembers her mother, after her father had left, trying to show her how to hold a bow right, from her wheelchair. 

Her mother straining to see what she was seeing, and Artemis wishing she was shorter to make it easier for her mother.

She remembers Oliver rasing her arm up, showing her how to hold it higher. 

She remembers showing her mother her progress, her green bow gleaming in the light in their kitchen. Shining in her mothers proud eyes.

 

B is for Bows. Because you can't have Arrows without Bows.


	3. C

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Decided to go with a different thing for this chapter...
> 
> Mostly focuses on Roy and Oliver :)

C is for Coffee:

 

Prepare for a doozy, because I'm about to shock you. 

Oliver Queen hates coffee.

The only reason he ever bought a coffee pot and the (cheapest brew, yes he can afford the good stuff, but whats the point if he hates it?) was because his many lovers would complain come morning that they couldn't drown themselves in the stuff.

(They also had to use milk from the fridge because he certainly didn't buy any creamer)

Basically, every woman that came along complained about his coffee situation. To which Oliver would tell them that a cup of good orange juice can wake them up just as well thank you very much.

...

When Roy first came to live with Oliver, he had never heard of coffee. But he HAD heard of morning people.

He also knew that he was NOT one. 

Oliver on the other hand, loved early mornings and would constantly try and introduce him to the wonderfulness of the sunrise.

That was when Dinah introduced him to the coffee in the kitchen.

"Its nearly not as strong or good as regular people coffee, but this stuff will save you from Olivers morning cheer faster. But it won't save you from his orange juice obsession, fair warning."

 

He realized very quickly that the stuff was liquid gold.

He also learned that it could get WAY better.

He soon demanded that since someone else that lived in the house they should get the coffee that tastes better than dirt.

"Ollie! I refuse to wake up at ungodly hours of the day without something to keept me from killing you!"

Now, Oliver tried to hold out, he really did. But that little shit learned how to throw a *great* temper tantrum.

(Where he learned it, Oliver had NO idea, honest)

C is for Coffee, because Oliver may be the one who brought it into the house, but Roy will always be the hero who brought the GOOD stuff into the house. 

And Dinah, Mia, Connor, and Artemis will forever be greatful.

...even if Olivers non stop talk about orange juice was insufferable.

 

\------

Years later, when Oliver is trying to win back Roy, and Roy is intent on getting across the state with broken ribs and stiches across his chest, Roy says,

"I can make it home Oliver. I've made it home in worse condition before."

"I know but...my house is closer! And- what if something happens?"

"Ollie... I... I don't think-"

"...I bought caramel creamer..." the man whispers through the phone.

Roy's hand tightened involuntarily. He swallowed before saying- just as quietly- "I'll be there in 20."

And on the way over, he could almost believe it was only for the coffee. Only for the creamer.

He could almost believe it-

-Until he bought Ollies favorite orange juice before showing up at his old home.

 

C is for Coffee.

And coffee is for family.

...even when not everyone involved likes it.


	4. D

D is for Dinah:

Dinah Laurel Lance was a force to be reckoned with.

She was snarky, sarcastic, and can kick peoples ass.

That was the similarities between her and the Arrow Family.

The differences were as follows, 

Calm, cool, collected in a panic, patient and extremely understanding.

The Arrow family was known for being volital, and litteral loose canons. All of them were a whirlwind of chaotic energy and somehow, Dinah was the eye of the storm, long sense immune to the craziness of the Queen family.

Dinah Lance balances out Oliver Queen like no one else can, and she took Roy's side quickly when Oliver overreacted about the drugs. But was quick to not let the boy push all the blame onto Ollie. She was also the only one to force the redhead into rehab when no one else could talk sense into him.

And even though her and Oliver weren't dating at the time, she always made sure she could be a mother figure for Connor and Mia. (And especially when Artemis was around and she started dating Oliver again).

Despite the ups and downs of her and Ollies relationship, it was a known fact that Dinah was the muture one/mother of the Arrow Family.

She was also the one that added 'loyalty' onto their list of skills to learn.

(Because we all know someone as flighty as Oliver Queen couldn't have raised someone has unearthly loyal as Roy Harper)

She was the one who defended their need for independence but made sure they weren't hurting themselves by checking up on then regularly.

'Oliver, of COURSE Connor should be able to join the teen titans! It did wonders for Roy and wouldn't you rather them have a team backing them up instead of becoming solo heros right off the bat?'

'Ollie...Mia is a mature woman, if she wants to date Damian Wayne she can! You can't lock her up forever!'

'Oliver Queen?! Do I even have to defend the idea of Artemis joining a team?! What the hell?'

When Dinah forced them all into the same house for bonding or random holidays, there were rarely any fights. Everyone on their best behaviour around the kick ass woman.

 

Dinah Lance was to the Arrow family, like Alfred was to the Bats. And that was NOT a statement to be taken lightly dammit.

 

D is for Dinah Lance.

The reason the Arrows haven't killed each other yet.


	5. E

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> very short and sweet. hope y'all enjoy.

E is for Energy Drinks

As in: Never. Ever. Give ten year old Roy an energy drink. Ever.

 

Now, Oliver knew that children weren't TECHNICALLY supposed to have energy drinks. Buuuuut...the kid looked tired and they still had almost five hours of patrol left so maybe it wouldn't be SOOOO bad to give him a single can right? 

Right?

Wrong.

So very very wrong. 

That night became easily one of the worst nights in Oliver Queens life--

The little shit tore through six drug busts, five gang knife fights, four suicide bombers, three attempted rapes, two robberies, and one super-villain wanna-be.

While it was- admittedly- impressive, it was also terrifying. And the kid didn't stop there. He was bouncing off the walls at their penthouse the rest of the night...

LITERALLY jumped on his bed for three hours straight at one point. 

 

The kid was a hyperactive maniac-- one that even his most dangerous enemies feared. 

All in all... Oliver learned his lesson that night.

Children- especially Roy- do NOT need energy drinks.

 

Except maybe...Artemis was looking a little tired... wasn't she?


	6. F

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> F is for Fireworks:

She's not okay. She's never going to be okay.

Dinah had another breath knocked out of her when another explosion lit up the sky. The children and adults around her at the 'Queen Industries Annual Fourth of July BBQ' oohed and awwed at the many colors and she felt burning jealousy cut at her at their innocent fascination with the booms and colors and fire. 

She told herself over and over that they were *fireworks* not grenades or bombs or anything meant to harm; but merely for fun. That she was overreacting. That she could breath *just fine*. 

Another one went off above her and she closed her eyes as her breath was stolen from her lungs again. 

Closing her eyes didn't help much because now her ears felt more sensitive- picking up the booms and crackles more acutely and the flashes of light were still behind her eyes. She pressed her hands over her ears, wondering if she was hyperventilating or not. She swore she could smell burning flesh, gunpowder, blood in the air, the air was thick with it- she didn't have much time- had to run- where are the civilians? Fight. Tic-toc-tic-toc. Bombs counting down. Go faster. Faster. MovemoveMOVE!

A heavy hand fell onto her shoulder and she gasps and her eyes shoot open- revealing the bbq once again. In front of her was Oliver; with his blond hair and green eyes and slightly sunburnt cheeks staring down at her with such an understanding intensity that she couldn't look away. 

"Breathe." He demanded of her quietly.

She listens. Anchoring herself onto that voice. Those eyes. His hands. He gently places some headphones onto her head and the noises of long fought battles and excited civilians fall away, allowing her to give Ollie her full attention. She twists her hands in his shirt until her attack passes. The lights fading away before the tiki torches were lit once again- letting people find their way to the dessert table.

And Oliver squeezes her to his chest until she can breath and is telling one of his employees (second in command?) that he's leaving early despite the fact that he wasn't given a speech yet.

She tries to tell him to continue- but her mouth feels like it has cotton in it and there's ash and smoke in her throat- whether its real or not- and Oliver's leading her away from the crowd until they're in the limo and presses her face into his chest again. 

Shes crying but can't be bothered to care at the moment as his scent is familiar and drowns out the smell of battles long lost and is rubbing the small over her back- right above a scar- and she thinks that maybe she'll be okay.

Someday.


End file.
